Where and when do rip currents occur?
They can form anywhere and anytime. Rip currents are not dependent upon surf conditions. What do I do if I get caught in one? First: Don’t panic. Remain calm. Second: Try to swim out of the current — horizontally, parallel to the shore. Then, when you break out of the current, swim back towards the shore. What if I can’t swim out of the current? Float, tread water, let the current take you out, then when it breaks swim back in. And remember, the current won’t drag you all the way out to sea as people fear. Can a rip current pull you underwater? No. Most definitely not! That is a myth. Rip currents pull you straight out. Am I safe in a rip current if I can touch the bottom? Not necessarily. You can be touching bottom in waist-high water, then along comes a big wave and it pulls you out 3 to 4 feet. Now you’re in water over your head, you’re feet are off the bottom and so the chances of getting caught in a rip current and not getting out greatly increases. Can a person be in a rip curren
